Samaresh Jung was at his best when it mattered as he clinched the standard pistol gold in the 54th National shooting championship at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Sunday.
Having focussed only on standard pistol for the last Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, it was only natural for the 40-year-old Jung to be at his fluent best in the event.
Tied with Army's Devinder Singh at 521 before the last five shots in the 10-second series, Jung responded with a card of 48 while Devinder could muster only 39 and slipped out of the medals bracket.
It was an impressive performance by Jung, not just because he matched his score in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, but also because he retained his focus despite dropping his gun during preparations for the 20-second series.
Incidentally, Jung's score here actually bettered his bronze winning effort in the Commonwealth Games at the same range last October by 10 points.
After shooting 96 and 96 in the 150-second series, Jung shot 94 and 96 in the 20-second series. He started the 10-second series rather poorly as he compiled a card of 42. But rounds of 49, 48 and 48 thereafter asserted his supremacy in an event which has not been his strong point.
Rapid fire pistol gold medallist, Vijay Kumar of Army took the silver three points behind Jung, following rounds of 92, 97, 94, 97, 91 and 95.
Harpreet Singh of Navy won the bronze with a 562, and powered the team to the gold medal in partnership with Omkar Singh (558) and Rahul Panwar (555).
Mahaveer Singh of Madhya Pradesh missed the bronze medal by one point, while Omkar Singh (558) and Amanpret Singh (556) were placed eighth and ninth respectively.
In women's air rifle, world record holder Suma Shirur struck good form with a score of 398 — she shot a sequence of 100, 99, 99 and 100.
The former Asian champion could go unchallenged for the gold as the next best score after three of the four squads had completed the competition is only 393.
One more squad will shoot qualification on Monday, and it will be followed by the final in the afternoon.
Women's rifle prone champion Anjali Bhagwat, once a force in air rifle around the world, with a title of ‘Champion of Champions' to boot, was the one to return the second best score of 393.
It may be recalled that Bhagwat had made the final of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and Shirur the final of the Athens Olympics in 2004.
The results: Men: 1. Samaresh Jung 569; 2. Vijay Kumar 566; 3. Harpreet Singh 562. Team: 1. Navy 1675; 2. Army 1671; 3. BSF 1651.
Juniors: 1. Vikrant Ghaisas 540; 2. Rajesh Kumar 539; 3. Ajitesh Kaushal 534.
